


Denial Isn't Just a River in Egypt

by mundaneone



Category: Glee
Genre: Jealousy, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-17
Updated: 2011-10-17
Packaged: 2017-10-24 17:36:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/266097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mundaneone/pseuds/mundaneone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Finn helping Puck get his act together with Kurt</p>
            </blockquote>





	Denial Isn't Just a River in Egypt

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the prompt meme and posted on LJ on 10-22-09.
> 
> Sarcasticdaisy, being super awesome, went and made a podfic for this. If you're interested in hearing her read it go on and have a listen.
> 
> http://audiofic.jinjurly.com/category/mundaneoneauthor

He’s not the smartest guy around.  Heck he’s probably not even average.  But Finn isn’t blind and he’s known Noah Puckermanfor a long time.  They’ve been best friends for years and Finn’s been around Puck long enough that he can always tell when Puck is crushing.  Like when they were freshman and that chick Jenny from Australia went to their school for a couple of months.  Puck followed her around like he was a dog and she had jerky in her pocket.  And with Puck it was never big gestures or directly asking the girl out.  It was all subtle stuff.  Kind of dumb since it was usually stuff the girl would never notice or figure out.  Like how Puck threatened one of the mathletes into doing Jenny’s homework.  Or how he got the Cheerios to make Jenny an honorary member.  Jenny had waltzed around their school for months happy and popular and feeling great about herself.  And that had made Puck happy.  Like, really happy.  Jenny was at their school for three months and Puck never said more than a few words to her.  But Finn always knew.  Finn will always know.

 

So Finn knows that Puck has a thing for Kurt even though no one else can see it.  It’s all round about gestures that always _always_ end up making Kurt smile.  And then Puck will smile, this stupid little grin he always hurries to cover with a hand or something and Finn can’t repress the way his eyes roll because come _on_ dude.  Finn may be having trouble with his own love life but at least his ladies of interest are aware they’re his ladies of interest.

 

First thing that happens is the football players all back off.  Finn doesn’t pay that much mind because, well Kurt’s one of them now.  Different or not once you put that jersey on you’re one of their bros.  And bros don’t pick on fellow bros.  It’s a rule or something. 

 

But then the baseball players back off.  They were never really bad but now there aren’t even cruel words being hurtled Kurt’s way.  It just… stops.  Then one day the school editor approaches Kurt about doing a fashion column for the paper.  That’s when Finn figures it out.  Because Kurt, well Kurt had looked pretty awesome at that moment.  Finn doesn’t swing that way but when someone lights up like that you notice.  And Finn had looked over and seen the expression on Puck’s face and he _knew_. 

 

“Dude,” he says a few days later while he’s spotting Puck, “what’s going on.”

 

Puck breaths hard and heavy, settles the dumbbells before he sits up to stare blankly at Finn.  “Don’t know what you mean, man.”

 

“With Kurt.  Dude I’ve known you for years, I get how you operate.  And it’s kind of sad.  If you like him just ask him out or something.”

 

Puck looks at him long and steady, “I’m not gay, dude.” 

 

The next day at glee practice Kurt shuffles in looking forlorn and lost.  Finn darts a look at Puck but the other boy is pointedly not looking at either of them.  He corners Kurt later, asks him what’s wrong over and over.  Kurt just sort of stands there, doesn’t even look at him.  And eventually Finn lets him leave.  But he knows, he knows more than people give him credit for.  Because Puck, Puck’s amazing.  He can bring a person up and up and up, make them feel like the sun shines just for them.  But he can make it rain just as easily when he wants to. 

 

It makes Finn mad, hell it makes him burn with it.  He’s gotten to know these kids and yeah Kurt can totally be a bitch and he’s got a hell of a sneer on him but he’s a nice guy.  And Puck _knows_ he’s a nice guy, otherwise he wouldn’t have this little crush thing going on.  It’s enough to drive him crazy, as if he doesn’t have a shit load of stuff to deal with already. 

 

He finds out what happened from Rachel, who found out from Tina, who heard it from Mercedes, who had gotten it first hand from Kurt.  Turns out that earlier the editor of the paper had approached Kurt again. 

 

Rachel had raised her chin and quoted in the most spiteful tone she could manage, “I thought because you were the token fag at school you might have some sense of fashion but it turns out you’re nothing more than a tasteless hack and we really can’t have something that so obviously violates our standards run in the paper, let alone make it a regular thing.”  She’d glared at him and told him, “Now I may not get Kurt’s fashion sense but even _I_ know it’s spectacular.  I don’t know what’s going on but I think _you_ do.  So fix it, because Kurt can take being thrown in a dumpster on a daily basis.  What he can’t take is having people raise and dash his hopes regularly.”  Then she’d turned on her heel and stormed off. 

 

So now he _has_ to deal with it because Rachel will never forgive him if he doesn’t at least try.  And that’s not even taking into account what all of this is going to do to Glee Club or, hell, football.  So first chance he gets he confronts Puck. 

 

He has this whole speech type thing worked out but all he manages is, “Why?”  And for a second he thinks Puck’s going to play dumb but then he heaves a sigh, shoves his hands in his pockets and looks Finn right in the eye.

 

“Because I didn’t know I was doing anything till you pointed it out.  And I’m _not_ gay, man.  Just got confused or something, because he’s so girly, ya know?”  Puck flashes a ridiculously cocky smile, “He’ll get over the stupid paper thing and everything’ll go back to normal.  Chill out man.  It’s not like anyone knows I’m behind anything.” 

 

But Finn knows.  So the next time he sees Kurt he’s extra nice, exaggerates how buddy-buddy they are.  He’s loud and tells stupid jokes and it gets Kurt to offer this little smile and Finn feels a little less guilty at the sight of it. 

 

“Hey man.  I just want you to know the whole paper thing wasn’t your fault.”  And, shit, he shouldn’t have said anything because Kurt’s looking at him warily and it kind of hurts.  They’re all friends now, none of them should ever look at Finn that way again.  “It was a football player.  He made the editor say that.  We all know you’re uh…”  And he blanks because what the hell can he say to describe Kurt and his fashion sense?

 

Kurt helps him out though, that little smile in place, “Fierce?” he provides.

 

Finn laughs and says, “Yeah that’s it,” before cuffing Kurt around the neck and leading them towards the locker rooms.  And if when they walk in they get a few odd looks Finn pays it no mind.  And he certainly doesn’t notice the intensity of Puck’s stare when he catches sight of the two of them.  Things go pretty smooth during practice.  He helps Kurt with his kicking.  They’re trying to wean him from needing the music each time, just in case they ever end up at an away game where the home team vetoes the music.  Kurt had pitched a mild fit when they first told him but he’s actually getting pretty good.  ‘I can hear the music in my head just fine, anyway,’ he’d said once. 

 

It isn’t until Finn’s heading home after practice that things kind of go down hill.  He’s walking along, minding his own business, when a solid weight hits him from the side.  He and his attacker go down hard and Finn struggles to get his arm out from under himself so he can throw a decent punch when a fist smashes itself into his face.  And, ok, _ow_. 

 

“Damnit, God damnit, Finn!”  That’s when Finn blinks and realizes, well shit, that’s Puck above him.    And he looks pissed.  Not like, “I had a bad day” pissed but 'I’m really gonna kill you' pissed.  “Wasn’t enough that you get Quinn and Rachel, that you got two girls practically tearing each other apart over you, nah had to go and take something from me.  Again.  Always gotta get what Puck wants, huh, man?  Football star, glee star, fucking stud stealing his bro’s things all the god-damned time.” 

  



“Woah, woah dude!  What the heck are you talking about, man!”

 

“ _Kurt_ ” It comes out more like a hiss than a word and Finn is totally confused because, uh, is Puck high?  “You knew, you fucking _knew_ and you still had to go and take him.  And, fuck, the way he looks at you all the time it’s not like you would have a hard time.  God- _damnit_ couldn’t you have left me fucking one thing I wanted?”   

 

Finn’s had enough.  He has a pregnant girlfriend he hasn’t even gotten to sleep with yet, football and glee club, his weird Rachel crush, he just cannot deal with this on top of it all.  He gets his arm free and lets fly.  It catches Puck in the jaw, sending him back slightly and that’s all the opening Finn needs.  It’s the first fight Finn’s been in.  The first real fight, anyway.  Most people take one look at him, recall he’s in football and popular and back off.  But Puck’s mad and Finn’s mad and they’re decking each other and rolling on the ground in an attempt to get the other pinned.  Puck gets lucky again, gets Finn laid out flat and just starts wailing on him.  It fucking hurts and he vows to never let anyone get beat up again if he can help it because _shit_.  In the end he gets a good jab at Puck’s throat and the other boy goes down like a ragdoll. 

 

Puck’s on the ground, clutching at his throat and gasping for air.  Finn scrambles up, looks down at his friend and sighs.  Damnit.  He crouches down and almost flinches at the fury in Puck’s eyes.  “He’s my friend, man.  _Just_ my friend.  And for _some_ reason he was feeling kind of bad today so I cheered him up.  If you like him you’re going to have to tell him.  He isn’t gonna figure it out on his own with you pulling this shit.”  He pauses to make sure Puck’s listening.  “Get it together, dude.  If you don’t you don’t deserve him anyway.”  And then he leaves Puck there staring after him and snarling like a rabid dog. 

 

Things are better the next day, Puck’s calmed down and even apologizes for being an asshole the night before.  Finn considers it an excellent implication of his character that he forgives him without much thought.  Puck had been angry and hurting and he’d lashed out.  It’s how Puck works, Finn knows this, has always known it.

 

When they next have glee practice Puck’s later than usual.  Nowadays Puck is one of the first ones there.  They’ll walk in and he’ll be strumming away at that acoustic guitar of his and singing some song and everyone will join in as they show up.  But today Puck isn’t there when Finn walks in.  He actually shows up nearly ten minutes later and, after looking around the room briefly, heads over to Kurt.  Kurt who hadn’t even noticed him come in, his earbuds in and iPod blasting.  When Puck settles in the seat next to him no one pays it any mind.  They don’t pay any attention when Puck stretches out his legs and drops his arm onto the back of Kurt’s chair either.  Puck likes to sprawl, they’ve all figured that out by now.  Kurt doesn’t so much as blink, although he does turn to give Puck a smile in greeting. 

 

And that’s it.  That’s all that happens for weeks.  Puck doesn’t do anything to or for Kurt, doesn’t act any particular way towards him at all.  He’s friendly, but no more than with the other glee kids.  And Finn would almost think the whole thing’s over and done with except nearly three weeks after their fight Finn spots Puck behind the bleachers with his hands fisted in some kid’s jacket and snarling in his face. 

 

 Finn’s on him before he even thinks about it.  Gets an arm around Puck’s neck and just _yanks_.  Puck flails for a moment before the kid he’d had against the wall takes off, then he just sort of stands there, face turned and watching in the direction his victim had run off in. 

 

“Dude!” Finn turns him around, expression so far beyond baffled it isn’t even funny anymore.  “What the hell is wrong with you?” 

 

“Nothing.”  But that’s bull and Puck knows it so he heaves this sigh and kind of rolls his head till he’s looking Finn in the eyes again.  “I’m sick of not doing things right.”  There’s this kind of bitter laugh and Finn almost winces as the sound of it.  “I don’t wanna be a deadbeat like my dad, man.  But nothin’ ever goes right.  Thought I was finally doing right and then, fuck, there’s this guy and he’s moving in on Kurt and damnit I just got mad.”

 

Finn just sort of blinks at that, “Kurt has a boyfriend?”  Because, well, that’s news to him, which means the other glee members don’t know either.

 

Puck sort of smirks, “Not anymore.” 

 

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is when Finn finally realizes that Puck is actually totally clueless when it comes to something like this.  Puck honestly has no idea how to go about getting someone to date him.  Puck’s used to just having to smile at a girl and then he’s in her panties.  High school girls, those moms he’s always talking about, they’re all just so jazzed up about being with Puck that the guy’s never had to do any actual work before. 

 

“Dude,” he says, clapping a hand on Puck’s shoulder, “I think it’s time we had ‘the talk.”

 

Puck’s face is totally worth all the effort this is going to take. 

 

They stay up most the night.  Puck grabs them some beers from the fridge.  Finn nurses his, watches as Puck goes through the rest of them.  He’s not sure how much of what he says gets through, not sure how much of it Puck is going to remember or listen to come morning but it’s out of his hands.  All he cares about is the fact that he tried.  Because Kurt’s a good guy and he doesn’t deserve the shit Puck’s been putting him through.

 

Puck’s not at school the next day but the guy he’d had up against the wall is.  His name’s Josh or John or Joe, something with a j.  And Finn decides that he doesn’t not like what’s his name.  He’s got Kurt cornered, pretty much literally, a hand is on Kurt’s arm and he’s crowded against the wall.  Kurt’s expression is annoyed and slightly pissed off but his eyes are wide and kind of scared and that is just not ok. 

 

“Hey!  _Hey_!”  He yanks the taller boy away from Kurt when he seems content to ignore him.

 

“Back off, man,” the dude says, “I’m just having a talk with my boyfriend, it’s none of your business.”  And then he dismisses Finn, like he isn’t even there.  Turns back to Kurt and practically snarls, “Why didn’t you tell me you had a boyfriend?  Huh?  Guy tried to maul me last night!”

 

“You’re delusional,”  And Kurt’s using that tone that’s totally condescending and Finn chokes back a laugh because if this guy thinks he’s still Kurt’s boyfriend now he’s fooling himself.  “I don’t have a boyfriend.  Didn’t have one before I met you and now I don’t have one again.  Funny how things work.”  He turns to look at Finn, “Finn, I do believe we have a class to get to.”  He turns and starts to walk off, the guy’s still yelling but Kurt clearly doesn’t care.

 

“Disgraceful, don’t you think, Finn?”  Kurt asks when they’ve moved further down the hall.  “And what was he going on about a boyfriend for?  Really, the first boy even remotely interested in me and he turns out to be completely off his rocker.”  He gives this over the top dramatic sigh, “It’s tragic don’t you think?” 

 

“Uh, sure, Kurt.”  He almost mentions that J-whatever is not the first boy remotely interested but he figures Puck will kill him over something like that. 

 

The rest of the day is peaceful, there’s no practices scheduled after school but Finn had made plans to meet Rachel and Quinn in the music room after school so he heads in that direction.  He starts to open the door when he hears it, him, Puck. 

 

“I’m not very good with girls.  They don’t like me much.  It’s because I’m an ass and I know it.  I’m rude and I’m rough and I’ve never been in a relationship that worked.   But I want to, you know, try.  Finn said, he said I should just ask you out, says you might actually agree.”

 

Kurt’s voice is softer, quieter.  He’s harder to hear and Finn strains, not even sure why he’s listening to this.  “So you’re my boyfriend,” he sounds kind of amused, “and here I thought Jonah had lost his mind.”  So that was his name!  “He said you roughed him up.  Warned him off your ‘property’.” 

 

Puck doesn’t reply.

 

“This probably won’t end well, you know.”  And Finn peeks into the room, is shocked at how Kurt moves forward places his hand on Puck’s chest.  “But I have a weakness for men with muscles who can carry a tune.”  Finn has to turn away, this isn’t for him to see.  And when he catches sight of Quinn and Rachel coming down the hall he moves to meet them, suggests they move practice somewhere else. 

 


End file.
